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Category Archives: Cabin Life

Back in the early seventies we were transferred from Lexington, Kentucky to Maryville, Tennessee. Since I grew up in Ohio and had never heard of the Smokies or Gatlinburg I was anxious to explore these mountains. Gatlinburg, the name alone has such a romantic sound to it and the city being nestled down between the mountains makes the whole city perfect for lovers. To our delight Maryville was only thirty minutes from there when you took the back roads through Townsend also known as the quiet side of the Smokies. We enjoyed hiking the trails, walking across the big rocks through the mountain streams and driving under the covered bridges. Having picnics in Cades Cove and watching wild life all around us was spectacular. Buffalo aren’t just on the range I found out! One of my favorite things to do was walk the streets of Gatlinburg where people were holding hands and eating bright red candy apples flavored with cinnamon. You could hear children laughing and dulcimers being played in the back ground. They have restaurants over looking the creeks and in the winter time you smell the fireplaces burning. Candy shops are on every corner and through the windows you can see them making it. You’ve never tasted such fresh fudge when it’s still warm. But my favorite of all are the corn dogs! Fanny Farkle’s have foot long corn dogs dipped in their own homemade batter and fried in front of you. The best ever! And not just back then but now as well! Fannie Farkles is still in the same place right on the main drag. You must try it!

Nothing better than sipping on a cup of hot coffee while you’re swinging on the cabin porch and it’s raining. All you hear is the rain hitting the leaves as it falls to the ground. A perfect time to think about life instead of being so busy living it. I’ve found a good book that someone has left here. I encourage my friends and family to take a book and leave a book when they visit here.

So while my supper bakes, I’ll read. I’m fixing what Mimi would call “poor man’s dinner” but don’t know why she called it that. On a large piece of foil you put a ground beef patty topped with potatoes slices, carrots, onions and sprinkled with seasoned salt. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and it’s done, ready to serve on a plate.

They aren’t called the Smoky Mountains for nothing ! This morning as we drank our strong dark coffee on the cabin porch we watched the fog disappear as the sun started breaking through the clouds. Aww, cabin life.

This cabin in the woods has brought the best part of us out. We can head up at a moments notice now that we keep coffee and extra clothes here. We find the time to read sitting by the fire and playing board games we haven’t done in years. Our grandchildren will find us a challenge next time they play with us! With winter coming to an end we may find ourselves hiking more and taking advantage of all the things there are to do up here but for now we just enjoy the fireplace and the porch view. So since I usually have potatoes on hand and ham in the freezer, I fry them up and we eat and just relax. Of course we go out to eat anytime we want and have all the choices you can imagine. This weekend we brought my brother and since he’s such an outdoors person we decided we should get up early and watch the sunrise. We set the alarm for 6:30, made the coffee and out to the porch we went. Back in for more blankets and refills on coffee and still no sun! Growing up in Ohio and now living in a flat area of Georgia I now understand what mom always talked about when she mentioned the twilight you have with mountains. She grew up the West Virginia surrounded by mountains. The sun slowly creeps up and you have light way before you see the sun. We could have slept in another hour, but then we would have missed drinking hot coffee bundled up with blankets hearing the mountains awake.

After buying the cabin, the cleaning began. We called out to friends and family to help dust and scrub and move in any extra furniture and kitchen supplies anyone had. This will be a retreat for all to share so everyone willingly participated.

While cleaning we decided to go check out the area under the cabin. Among the hot water heaters and pipes and several empty beer cans and bottles and wires and support poles we saw a large black garbage bag. It was covered in dirt and sitting on the dirt foundation. My daughter, Heather, who never passes up a challenge crawled back as far as she could, being short herself helped, and pulled this large bag out. I especially was nervous when she untied and opened the bag. What if there was a mouse inside or worse, a whole nest!! When we saw it was greenery we decided to take it to the back porch upstairs and see what else this magical bag held. To our delight it was a whole Christmas tree. As she pulled and tugged out came old fashioned big tree lights, also covered in mud, and a few homemade ornaments. Heather being a nurse immediately made me throw them away because of mildew but we did keep one and left it outside for a pattern that some day we’ll use as a Christmas craft project. She went to work putting the tree together without instructions and I started washing the old lights. Before long the tree was up and we even found a bow and ribbon that didn’t need too much help. Most of the lights worked when plugged in and now we are ready for Christmas at the cabin too! It’s fun to bring new life into old things.

At this time of year we are reminded more than any other time of our promise to of a new life. God sent his only son to be born for our sakes. Merry Christmas everyone!

What’s your new plan for the new year? I think most of us plan to eat healthier and exercise more!! Let’s all add more laughter to our lives also. It’s taken most of the month to get rid of all the leftover Christmas food including cookies and cakes and nuts so now it’s time to get started. The treadmill is back in our bedroom for those days when it’s too cold to walk outside! Burr!! And Here are some of the recipes we are going to prepare. Please share some of yours too.

We’re all going to eat lots of salads and here is a good one my sister, Rose Carol Tomlinson, just made. Delicious, as usual!!

Pizza gets a bad wrap!! When you make it yourself and roll it out real thin using corn meal on the bottom so it doesn’t stick and put homemade sauce on top, you know you’re not getting extra calories you don’t want. Here is Alycia Tomlinson Anthony, one of my nieces, making her own. We had a great day together cooking just for fun!!